Pocket Full of Posies

Chapter Thirteen

“You!” I called out, pointing my finger accusingly.

  Lulu put a hand to her chest, feigning innocence. “Me?”

  I chucked my purse into my locker before marching over to my coworker. “Since when are you gettin’ married in December and not February?”

  She grinned, fluttering her eyelashes sheepishly. “I’m getting pregnant fast, girl! To you, February’s only two months away. But to me? It’s like a millennia!” She grasped her stomach for emphasis. “I mean, look at me! I’m huge!”

  I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. You’re not huge.”

  “Uh huh. Carl’s gonna fire me the second he deems me unfit for work.”

  “Oh, honey, you’ve always been unfit for work!”

  Lulu didn’t even try to deny her laziness. “Yeah, well…I’ll just be glad to quit and focus on being a mom to my little man and baby girl.”

  I smiled. “You’re that convinced you’ll have a girl, huh?”

  “I want it to be!” She looked heavenward and sighed. “I’m sick of dealing with boys all the time. I mean, I love boys and I just think they’re all around easier. I would just love for this one to be a girl…that way I can stop having kids after her.”

  “Oh, please. Like you’re gonna stop having kids after two.”

  Lulu shrugged one shoulder.

  She was about to say something else when Carl popped his head around the corner. He squinted his beady eyes at us. “St. Claire, you clocked in yet?”

  “Carl,” I said irritably, “am I new here?”

  His lips formed an even thinner line. Carl didn’t like being made fun of. He wouldn’t fire us, though, because no one else wanted to work at freaking Shoney’s—where the service was so-so and the food was awful—no offense to Jimmy; it was the regulations they put him under anyway.

  Carl had no wise words for me today. Instead, he just huffed and walked out.

  Lulu shivered. “Is it bad that he still gives me the creeps?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Stop gabbing and start getting me some orders!” Jimmy scolded.

  My shift had started in the middle of the day—the slowest time for us. Poor Jimmy looked on the verge of explosion due to boredom. Never could keep that kid occupied for long. But, then again, he was the only guy I knew that could multi-task. Actually, he thrived off pressure and busy hours. Not a lot of people his age could handle this place when it got hectic.

  “Alright, alright,” I said, waving him off. Picking up my pad and pen, I asked him, “Happy?”

  “I will be when you get some orders made.” He nodded toward the door.

  I waited until the kitchen door closed behind me before I let myself grin. Three days off work had nearly killed me. I loved the breaks to spend more time with my family but…sometimes I wanted to go somewhere on the pretense of getting away from my family. Honestly, it was nice to being back to teasing Jimmy and scolding Lulu. I felt more put together when I was being kept busy.

  That is, I felt all the comfort of being back to work all before I got to actually doing my job. My heart literally sank, the smile wiped off my face, as I made my way over to my first table. Damnit. I’d forgotten in was Thursday.

  Grumbling under my breath, I stomped my feet as I made my way over.

  Lee smirked triumphantly at my absolute annoyance in his very presence. He seemed to get more off irritating me than he did actually trying to get me to go out with him.